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Symbiosis (episode)
Two alien races struggle over a major pharmaceutical shipment. The dominant race claims the drug will treat a deadly disease, but instead it has been used to keep the weaker race addicted and powerless. Summary The Enterprise is investigating a star's unusual flares and magnetic activity when they receive a distress signal from a freighter orbiting the fourth moon of the system. When they try to rescue the freighter and beam the occupants over, however, the cargo of the freighter is beamed over instead. Yar and Riker are able to beam four onto the Enterprise in the nick of time. When the members arrive, they are very anxious to see the cargo, and two of the group fight with the other two over the possession of the cargo. They begin to fight until Yar breaks it up. Later, one of the groups (the buyers) reveals that the cargo is medicine that its planet needs. Picard realizes that the "plague" they have may infect the entire ship. He puts the ship on medical alert. As the buyers (Onarans) suffer from their lack of medicine, the sellers (Breccians)continue to refuse the cargo. Crusher reveals that she cannot find a cause of the signs of infection. The Onarans entreat Picard to give them the medicine, and Picard offers to talk to the Breccians, asking them to give enough for the Onarans' needs. The Breccians agree to "two doses for immediate use." It is revealed that Breccian society is entirely dependent on the trade of this medicine with the Onarans. When they use the free medicine, the Onarans act as if they are experiencing a drug high. Crusher deducts that the "medicine" is really an addictive drug. Data and Riker research the history of the drug. It cured a plague two hundred years, before, but now is just being sold as an addictive narcotic. The Enterprise receives a signal from Onara. :editor's note -- the episode then goes into a sappy and ill-advised discussion of drugs, sounding like a crappy high school video about addiction and "responsible choices. Onara demands that the Onarans on the Enterprise must get the medicine to Onara. One Onaran then attacks Riker and demands that the Enterprise send the "medicine" to the planet. The Breccians then decide to "give" the drug to the Onarans. Picard realizes that they have been purposely exploiting the Onarans. Picard cannot tell the Onarans without violating the Prime Directive. To correct the situation, Picard refuses to fix the Onarans' freighters, erasing their addiction to the drug. Background Information *This marks Denise Crosby's last appearance as a full cast member. Although Natasha Yar appears (and dies) in the following episode, "Skin of Evil", this episode was filmed following that. *If you watch the scene with Crusher and Picard leaving the cargo bay at the end of the episode, you can see Denise waving goodbye in the extreme background. *Merritt Butrick and Judson Scott, who had appeared in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, are in this episode as well. Memorable Quotes "We are losing our professional detachment, Doctor". : - Captain Picard to Doctor Crusher "...Beverly, the Prime Directive is not just a set of rules; it is a philosophy... and a very correct one. History has proven again and again that whenever mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous". : - Captain Picard to Doctor Crusher Links and References Guest Stars * Judson Scott as Sobi * Merritt Butrick as T'Jon * Richard Lineback as Romas * Kimberly Farr as Langor * Kenneth Tigar as Margan (uncredited) References Brekka; Brekkians; Delos; felicium; Ornara; Ornarans Category:TNG episodes de:Die Seuche es:Symbiosis nl:Symbiosis